Article
Science Daily

Science Daily: The Oldest Homo Sapiens

For Students 9th - 10th
The oldest fossils of modern humans (Homo Sapiens) found near Omo Kibish, Ethiopia, have been identified as being approximately 196,000 years old. This article points out the amazing significance of these findings.
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: The Origin of the Genus Homo

For Students 9th - 10th
The evolution of the Genus Homo is neatly laid out in a chronological fashion beginning with the key change that signaled the origin of Homo, through the evolutionary forms, finalizing with Homo sapiens.
Handout
A-Z Animals

A Z Animals: Animal Facts: Human (Homo Sapiens)

For Students 9th - 10th
This entry identifies the defining characteristics of the Homo Sapiens, more commonly known as a human being.
Website
PBS

Pbs: Evolution: Origins of Humankind: Homo Sapiens

For Students 9th - 10th
Read a description of Homo sapiens as a species, learn about the variety of Homo sapiens fossils that have been found, and discover evidence of the culture of these early people.
Website
Curated OER

Cbc: The Great Human Odyssey: Homo Sapiens: Child of the Ice Age

For Students 9th - 10th
A fascinating look at where humans came from. The interactive journey begins in Ethiopia over four million years ago with our ancestor, Ardipithecus ramidus. It continues at intervals along a timeline up to the present. The journey is...
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Palomar Community College District

Palomar College: Flashcards: Early Modern Homo Sapiens

For Students 9th - 10th
A set of eleven flashcards featuring facts about the early humans.
Handout
Other

Fossil Record

For Students 9th - 10th
This effective site traces the history of modern man from his early ancestors (Australopithecus Afarensis) to Homo Sapiens sapiens.
Handout
A-Z Animals

A Z Animals: Animal Facts: Neanderthal (Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis)

For Students 9th - 10th
Illustrated entry describes the Neanderthal with details about its physical characteristics and statistics.
Graphic
University of Texas at Austin

E Fossils: Life Size Printout: Modern Adult Homo Sapiens [Pdf]

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A PDF file of a modern human adult male skeleton that can be printed and assembled into a life size one dimensional model.
Activity
University of Texas at Austin

E Fossils: Juvenile Modern Homo Sapiens [Pdf]

For Students 3rd - 8th
This life-sized printout will help students learn about the human skeleton and identify some of the important bones of the human body.
Handout
Palomar Community College District

Palomar College: Early Modern Homo Sapiens

For Students 9th - 10th
An easy-to-understand article traces the origins of modern humans through the use of a simple graph. Various models of migration are also discussed.
Article
A&E Television

History.com: How Early Humans Survived the Ice Age

For Students 9th - 10th
The most recent ice age peaked between 24,000 and 21,000 years ago, when vast ice sheets covered North America and northern Europe, and mountain ranges like Africa's Mt. Kilimanjaro and South America's Andes were encased in glaciers. At...
Handout
Talk Origins Archive

Talkorigins: Biography: Donald Johanson

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of Donald Johanson, an anthropologist who has discovered many homo erectus skeletons.
Handout
BiologyWise

Biology Wise: Theories Behind the Extinction of Neanderthals

For Students 9th - 10th
Discusses the discovery of Homo neanderthalensis and describes the different theories that have been put forward to explain why Neanderthals became extinct.
Unit Plan
Other

Big History Project: Chapter 4: Humans

For Students 9th - 10th
Big History Project takes a comprhensive look at humans. From evolution to migration, agriculture to complex civilizations, students and teachers will be intrigued by this interactive learning module.
Graphic
Curated OER

Homo Floresiensis and a Modern Human Skull

For Students 9th - 10th
NPR article about the fascinating find in a cave in Indonesia -- fully formed bones of an adult who stood barely 3 feet tall and was alive during the time of Homo Sapiens.
Handout
Other

Washington State University: Hominid Species Timeline

For Students 9th - 10th
This complete resource contains a chronological chart that shows the main hominid species and their approximate relationships in time. A description of each hominid is included as well.
Handout
Lin and Don Donn

Lin and Don Donn: Who's Who of Early Man

For Students 3rd - 5th
The little cave man guy with a club welcomes you to the site. Did early man look like him? Mr. Donn has put together a Cheat Sheet of Who's Who of Early Man beginning with the famous Lucy and ending with men that looked a lot like us!
Website
PBS

Pbs Nova: Who's Who in Human Evolution

For Students 9th - 10th
Easy-to-understand chart of human evolution that traces hominins back more than six million years. Follow along using this clickable illustration right up to us, Homo sapiens. Clicking on each name will provide a brief descriptive...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: If Superpowers Were Real: Immortality

For Students 9th - 10th
In this series, educator Joy Lin tackles the superpower, immortality, and reveals just how scientifically realistic it is to be immortal. [4:30]
Article
Frontiers Media

Frontiers: Brain Projects Think Big

For Students 9th - 10th
When you read these words, hundreds of millions of nerve cells are electrically and chemically active in your brain. This activity enables you to recognize words, sense the world, learn, enjoy and create new things, and be curious about...
Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: Why Are We the Only Humans Left?

For Students 9th - 10th
Just 50,000-100,000 years ago, Earth was home to three or four separate human species, including our most famous cousins: the Neanderthals. New research has shown that Neanderthals were not the brutish, unintelligent cavemen that...
Article
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Recordkeeping and History

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Although many species note the passing of time, only our own species, Homo sapiens, is capable of sharing accounts, or memories, of past events and turning these into stories or "histories." This article traces the development of written...
Website
PBS

Pbs: A Modern Mass Extinction

For Students 9th - 10th
Are we in the midst of a mass extinction? Is Homo sapiens triggering this mass extinction? Four expert panelists have written responses to the aforementioned questions for this highly informative site.